2016 MLB Draft: Who Will Red Sox Take With No. 12 Pick In First Round?

The Boston Red Sox on Thursday night will find themselves in a position they’re becoming a little too familiar with for their liking.

The Red Sox have the No. 12 draft pick in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft, which begins Thursday night, marking just the third time since 2003 that Boston has had a first-round pick better than No. 17, although two of those have come in the last three seasons, including the club’s No. 7 pick last season.

With that No. 7 pick, the Red Sox selected Andrew Benintendi, a sweet-swinging outfielder out of Arkansas. So far, so good on that pick, as Benintedi is quickly rising through the farm system and looks destined for Fenway before too long.

When it comes to the MLB draft, though, it’s not always that easy. The draft, even in the top half of the first round, can be a virtual crapshoot. Even so, it will be interesting to see if the Red Sox’s drafting philosophy changes at all with president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski at the helm, although he has said he’ll take a relatively hands-off approach.

We’ve dug through some scouting reports, mock drafts and big boards to try to give you an idea of who the Red Sox could end up taking at No. 12.